An international scoping review of empirical research in relation to the recruitment and assessment of LGBTQ+ communities in the adoption process

Objectives. The goal of this review is to identify the experiences of the adoption assessment process for LGBTQ + adoptive parents. The intention is to highlight the scope of current literature, identify any research gaps, and from these, make recommendations for policy, practice, and research. Design. A scoping review. Methods. Social Policy and Practice, Medline, PsychINFO, ASSIA, British Education Index, International Bibliography of the Social Sciences, Scopus, Social Services Abstracts, and Google Scholar databases were searched. Articles were screened at the title and abstract level and at full text by two reviewers. The PAGER framework for scoping reviews was utilised. Results. A total of 413 articles were screened at the title and abstract level, of which 74 were also assessed at full text for eligibility. The 16 studies identified for inclusion originated from 6 different countries, with the most prevalent being the United States (10). Conclusions. Adoption processes are heterocentric which creates difficulty for LGBTQ + people in navigating them effectively. Examples of inclusive practice are evident in the literature. Process change and inclusion need to occur at organizational and policy levels rather than being the sole responsibility of social care practitioners. Future research is needed with underrepresented groups within the LGBTQ + community.